St.Cross lose unbeaten record but stay top

St Cross Symondians have lost their unbeaten record but are still top of the NatWest Bank Under-16 Indoor Cricket League at the Hampshire Rose Bowl.

They never recovered from a disastrous start and were well beaten by five wickets by Andover, who lie second in the table, 12 points behind.

A hat-trick of run outs involving Hampshire Under-16 all-rounder Steve Williams put St Cross under pressure from the start and only Robert Miller (23) put up much of a fight as St Cross slumped to 103 all out.

Williams (25), Robert Palmer (27) and James Manning (21) swept Andover to an easy 11-point win.

But St Cross regained their impetus to successfully chase Mudeford's formidable 149-5 and win by four wickets.

Mike Chant (69 not out) and Scott Assinder (52) made the highest individual scores so far, but St Cross never looked back after a flying start by Miller (28) and James Burridge (27).

James Irvine-Fortescue hit an unbeaten 40 to get St Cross home off the penultimate ball.

Andover piled up the highest total to date when they reached 171-1 against Mudeford, with Williams (28), Palmer (27), Manning (26), Cellie van der Merwe (25) amnd Mark Copplestone (25) all retiring.

Mudeford, totally bemused, managed 79-4, with only Steve Jacobs (29) and Chant (24) undefeated.